Sunday, February 10

Portland, Oregon played host to the 4th annual handmade bike show this past weekend. Racks galore, one-speeds, and funky commuter bikes were well represented. Bikes fabricated with bamboo & wood provided some innovative eye candy but there were also plenty of steel frames bearing names in retro fonts. In fact, nostalgia seems to be infused into many of the designs though integration of technology and/or materials provide new-school functionality.

MAS was all about due diligence, trolling the aisles and checking out what's on the minds of industry influencers. I was his eager companion, and try as I may to stay focused on cable routing & disk brakes, my interest waned after awhile, and I couldn't help but notice the crowd. I can confidently report that beards, tatts, and cut-off denim have taken hold of the indie bike scene. Now, that's style.